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US5120476A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Production of objects

Assignee: BASF SE
•
Filing: 1990-12-14
•
Granted: 1992-06-09
•
Expires: 2010-12-14
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Abstract

Abstract Three-dimensional objects are produced by the polymerization of a photopolymerizable liquid medium with the aid of high-energy radiation by continuously introducing the liquid medium in lamina form from a casting means onto the surface of a carrier liquid which has a higher specific gravity than the photopolymerizable medium and is not miscible therewith. This lamina is polymerized by irradiation to form a laminar, two-dimensional polymer layer, then the surface of the carrier liquid is raised and another lamina of the photopolymerizable medium is introduced onto the surface and polymerized to form a further polymer layer which combines with the preceding one. These steps are repeated until the three-dimensional object is formed. The steps of forming the polymer lamina and raising the surface of the carrier liquid may be computer controlled.

Inventors

  • 👤 Dankmar Scholz

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-05 09:52
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29C; B29C64/00; B29C64/10; B29C64/106; B29C64/124; B29C64/129; B29C64/135; B33; B33Y; B33Y10/00; B33Y70/00; B29K; B29K2995/00; B29K2995/0037; B29K2995/0072; B29K2995/0073

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim 132 words
A process for producing a three-dimensional object by polymerizing a photopolymerizable liquid medium with high-energy radiation by a) producing a laminar, two-dimensional polymer layer on a surface of a carrier liquid, b) raising the surface of the carrier liquid by an amount which corresponds to a thickness of the laminar polymer layer and then again producing a two-dimensional polymer layer which connects to the preceding one, and c) repeating steps a) and b) until a three-dimensional object is formed, which comprises continuously introducing onto the surface of the carrier liquid, from a casting means, a lamina of a photopolymerizable liquid medium, which has a lower specific gravity than the carrier liquid and is not miscible therewith, and then polymerizing the photopolymerizable liquid medium by irradiation of the entire photopolymerizable liquid surface uninterruptedly.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 132 words
A process for producing a three-dimensional object by polymerizing a photopolymerizable liquid medium with high-energy radiation by a) producing a laminar, two-dimensional polymer layer on a surface of a carrier liquid, b) raising the surface of the carrier liquid by an amount which corresponds to a thickness of the laminar polymer layer and then again producing a two-dimensional polymer layer which connects to the preceding one, and c) repeating steps a) and b) until a three-dimensional object is formed, which comprises continuously introducing onto the surface of the carrier liquid, from a casting means, a lamina of a photopolymerizable liquid medium, which has a lower specific gravity than the carrier liquid and is not miscible therewith, and then polymerizing the photopolymerizable liquid medium by irradiation of the entire photopolymerizable liquid surface uninterruptedly.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 27 words
A process for producing an object as claimed in claim 1, wherein the photopolymerizable liquid medium comprises an ethylenically unsaturated acrylic or vinyl compound and a photoinitiator.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 18 words
A process for producing an object as claimed in claim 1, wherein the photopolymerizable liquid medium is thixotropic.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 29 words
A process for producing an object as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carrier liquid onto whose surface the photopolymerizable liquid medium is introduced is an aqueous salt solution.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 31 words
A process for producing an object as claimed in claim 1, wherein the introduction of the lamina from the casting means onto the surface of the carrier liquid is computer controlled.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4575330A Cited
US4575330B1 Cited
US4749347A Cited
US4961154A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1995-06-09 1995-12-09 1996-06-09 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1999-06-09 1999-12-09 2000-06-09 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2003-06-09 2003-12-09 2004-06-09 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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